Consultations with civil society

Group in Nairobi

Consultations with civil society have become an integral part of the work of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequences. Some non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have been facilitating consultations with the Special Rapporteur since the inception of the mandate in 1994.

Regional and national consultations provide important input into the work of the Special Rapporteur by highlighting regional and national specificities, and provide an opportunity for women’s groups from a specific region/country to inform the Special Rapporteur of the violations of women’s rights occurring in their region/country .

In addition, some consultations have focused on discussions around the elected topic of the Special Rapporteur’s annual report to the UN Human Rights Council (and previously to the Commission on Human Rights).

Consultations with civil society also allow NGOs to become familiarized with opportunities the Special Rapporteur’s mandate offers in advancing their national and regional initiatives. The Special Rapporteur encourages NGOs to make use of such consultations and is grateful to those NGOs taking the lead in organizing them.

Recent consultations:

First ever Regional Consultation with NGOs from Europe, Brussels (17 June 2011)
Regional and National Consultations with NGOs from the Asia-Pacific region, Malaysia (January 2010) - on Multiple dimensions of women's equality (Consultation report)
First ever Regional Consultation with NGOs from Central America and the Caribbean, in San Salvador, El Salvador (March 2010) - on Violence against women in Central America and the Caribbean (Consultation report)
African Regional NGO Consultations, in Lusaka, Zambia (January 2010) - on violence against women on the African continent.
Asia Pacific Regional NGO Consultations, in Bangkok, Thailand (December 2009) - on women's sexual rights and reproductive rights (Consultation report).
Africa Regional and National Consultations with NGOs, in Nairobi, Kenya (December 2008)- on Violence against Women in the Context of Conflict in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa Region - Consultations held jointly with the SR on Human Rights Defenders.
Regional and National Consultations with NGOs from the Asia-Pacific region, New Delhi, India (October 2008) - on violence against indigenous women in Asia and the Pacific region.
Consultations held jointly with SR on Indigenous Peoples (Consultation report)